Jairus’ daughter

MARK 5:21-43

WHEN Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him, and He stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing Him he fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay Your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed Him and pressed upon Him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak. She said, “If I but touch His clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from Him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told Him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany Him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, He caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So He went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed Him. Then He put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

REFLECTIONS

If I but touch His clothes, I shall be cured. The Gospel story of the raising of Jairus’ daughter is divided into two parts, with the healing of the woman with hemorrhages sandwiched in between. Both stories portray Jesus as a divine Healer and Lord of life. The common denominator between Jairus and the woman is their complete faith in Jesus. They believe in Jesus’ power, place all their hope in Him, and trust that He can do something for them.

Though he has power, position, and prestige, Jairus accepts that all these are useless before his urgent concern: his daughter is at the point of death. Instead, he puts his trust in Jesus. Afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years, the woman touches the cloak of Jesus firmly believing that she will get well. Jairus and the woman are thus presented in contrast to the disciples (Mk 4:40) and the people from the synagogue official’s house (v 35) who doubt and do not have faith.

“Your faith has saved you.”

What personal, physical, and spiritual healing do I need to ask from God?

SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2012,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph